Coil bundling apparatus



April 6, 1954 M. P. JONES COIL BUNDLING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. 25, 1950 INVENTOR. [/ZEZ/L JOYLeS April 6, 1954 M. P. JONES COIL. BUNDLING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 25, 1950 m "n m r T n u n M a a H u n O n n u A a W M n n n n |WN| m u n W i W u T H u m N u T.\ A h. u 7 u u T u I I v 7 INVENTOR. fle/az'rL P 9/0265 Patented Apr. 6, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT I OFFICE COIL BUNDL ING APPARATUS Melvin P. Jones, Bartonville, 111.

Application August 25, 1950, Serial No. 181,527

14 Claims. (01.100-12) This invention relates to coil bundling apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for securing or bundling coils of wire and the like.

Wire is normally formed in coils for handling and transportation and the coils are compressed and secured by loops extending around them to prevent loosening and tangling of the wire. This operation, called bundling, has heretofore required a great deal of hand labor and unless it is carefully performed the wire in the coils may not be held tight.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a coil bundling machine in which the entire bundling operation is performed mechanically with no hand labor.

Another object is toprovide a bundling machine in which the coils are compressed and are tied with wire loops while held compressed. According to one feature the coil holding means is formed with grooves through which lengths of Wire can be fed to form loops around the coil.

Another object is to provide a bundling machine in which the wire to form the loops is out to proper length and has its ends twisted together to complete the loops. According to one important feature of the invention the ends of the wire loops are bent inward after twisting to eliminate sharp projecting ends.

A further object is to provide a bundling machine in which the wire to form a loop is fed frictionally against a stop to insure the proper length of loops regardless of minor variations in coil thickness.

A specific object is to provide a rotatable twisting head which will out the wire to the proper length, twist the ends together and bend in the ends after twisting.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a top plan view of a bundling machine embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a section on the broken line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged plan view of th twisting head with parts in section;

Figures 4 and 5 are partial vertical sections through the twisting head showing the parts in different positions;

Figure 6 is an end view of the twisting head; and

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a coil bundled on the machine.

Referring first to Figure 7, there is shown a coil of wire or the like l0 which has been compressed and which is held tightly together by a series of loops I l drawn tightly around it. While four loops l l are shown and will be placed on the coil by the machine as illustrated, it will be understood that more or less loops could be used to suit the requirements for coils of diiierent sizes or types. The machine of the present invention compresses a coil and places a series of loops around it to form a bundle as shown in Figure 7.

The machine comprises a frame or base l2 to.

rest on the floor and to support the operating parts of the machine at a convenient working height. The frame carries a series of supports or pads l3, three being shown, to receive a coil to be bundled and to deliver a finished coil. The supports l3 are mounted for vertical sliding movement and are connected to a fluid motor l4 through arms l5 to be moved vertically thereby. The coils to be bundled may be supplied to and removed from the supports over a table l3 having an annular opening therein through which the coils can pass and suitable slots l3 for movement of the clamping arms as described later.

When the supports are lowered, the coil is received in a plurality of U-shaped seats [6, the number of seats corresponding to the desired number of loops. Each seat is formed on its inher surface with an open groove indicated at I! through which wire may be fed to form the loops. To compress the coil, a clamp arm l8 formed with a downwardly hooked end I9 is associated with each seat. The clamp arms [8 are pivoted to arms 21 shifted vertically by the motor l4 and are bent as seen in Figure 2 to pass between uide rollers 22 and 23 on the frame. When the clamp arms are pulled down as shown in full lines in Figure 2, the rollers will swing them in so that the hooked ends 19 register with the seats and will compress the coil against the seats. When the arms are moved up, the rollers will cause them to swing out as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2 so that they will not interfere with placing coils on the supports or removing completed coils therefrom. It will be noted from Figure 2, that when the arms are lowered, the hook portions 19 lie close to the seats at the outer side of the coil and that a gap is left at the inner side.

of the coil. The hook portions 19 are formed on their inner surfaces with open grooves indicated at 24 registering with the grooves in the seats.

With the arms in their lowered positions, lengths of wire are fed through the grooves to form loops around the coil. The binding wires,

as indicated by the dotted. lines 25, are drawn from supply spools between upper sets 25 and lower sets 21 of feed rolls or discs which may be grooved to receive and grip the wire. The upper rolls 26 are pressed against the lower rolls by springs 28 which are adjusted to provide the desired degree of friction on the wire so that it will be fed properly. The lower rolls 2'! ar mounted on a common shaft carrying a drive pinion 29 which meshes with a rack 3|. A fluid motor 32 moves the rack to turn the rolls 2! in a direction to advance the wire through a one way clutch 35 which enables the motor 32 to return to its starting position without reversing the rolls.

Wire fed by the rolls 26 and 21 is led through curved guide tubes 33 to points adjacent to the respective seats. Each tube 33 terminates in a die block 3% rigidly mounted adjacent one of the seats to direct the wire through the gap between the seat and the hook portion l9 into the groove 2 in the hook portion. As the wire is fed it will follow around the grooves 2d and H to form a loop around the coil. As best seen in Figures 2 and 4, the end of the wire will overlap the main length thereof in the gap between the hook portion 19 and the seat, the extent of overlap being fixed when the wire end strikes a plate 46 attached to a switch id carried by bearing housing 38. The switch 66 controls the motor 32 as by closing a valve through which operating fluid is supplied to the motor to stop the rolls so that the wire will not be buckled or otherwise damaged.

To complete the bundling operation the loops of wire are cut-off and have their ends twisted together. For this purpose a rotating head is provided adjacent to each seat and comprises an elongated body or shaft 35 journaled in a bearing block 38 fixed on the frame. At one end the shaft carries a driving bevel pinion 31 to mesh with a driving gear 38 centrally mounted on the frame. At its other end the shaft carries an enlarged head 4i formed with spaced projections 39 defining a groove in which the overlapping ends of the wire lie as best seen in Figure 4.

The head 4! is rigidly secured to the shaft and runs closely against the end of the die block 34. The head 41 is formed with cut-off notches 42 which register with the openings in the die blocks so that the wire feeds through them in forming the loop as seen in Figure 4. After th wire has been fed in to form the loop, the head is turned and it initial movement cuts the wire between die block 34 and the side of notch 42. The loose ends of the loop are heldbetween the projections 39 and are twisted tog-ether as the head continues to turn through a complete revolution.

According to one feature of the invention, the ends of the loop are turned inward after twisting to eliminate projecting sharp ends of wire. For this purpose a collar 33 is slidable on th shaft 35 and is urged away from the head by a spring 44-. The collar carries a pair of axially extending fingers 45 projecting axially through openings in the head ll and registering with the notches 42 and which may be notched at their outer ends to grip the wire. Normally the end of the fingers lie flush with the outer surface of the head as seen in Figure 4 The fingers 45 connect the collar 43 to turn with the shaft 35 although an additional spline or key connection could be provided if desired.

The fingers are advanced by a cam projection 46 on the collar 43 and a complementary cam projection 41 on the bearing block 36. The cam projections are of such length that they will advance the collar and fingers during about the final onefourth of a revolution of the head to the fully advanced position shown in Figures 3 and 5. At this time the ends of the loop have been twisted together and the ends are bent inward and are removed from the projections 39 as seen in Figure 5. The final motion of the head 41 makes cam projection 48 drop off cam projection 47 allowing fingers 45 to retract to starting position.

The heads are driven by a fluid motor 48 moving a rack 49 which meshes with a pinion 5i connected to the bevel gear 38. The pinion 5! has a ratchet and pawl drive (not shown) inside it to give unidirectional rotation to the bevel gear 38.

In the. starting position of the machine, the supports [3 are raised and the arms l8 are swung out in the dotted line position of Figure 2. At this time a loose coil is placed on the supports and the motor it is energized to move the supports and arms down. The coil will move down with the supports to rest in the seats i6 and the arms I8 will swing in and down to compress the coil. The motor 32 is then energized to feed the wires around th grooves and thereafter the motor 48 is energized to turn the shafts 35 and the heads so that the loops are out off and their ends are twisted together and bent in. The motors may then all return to their starting positions to raise the finished coil on the supports l3 for easy removal, to raise the arms [8 and swing them out, and to return the motors 32 and 48 to their starting positions. The one way clutch 30 and the ratchet and pawl drive in pinion 5| enable the motors 32 and 8 to return to their starting position without reversing the feed rolls 2'! or the twisting heads ll.

While one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the exact construction shown nor otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. Coil bundling apparatus comprising supporting means to hold a coil, means to loop a length of wire around the coil, cut-off means to cut the wire adjacent to the loop, a rotatable head having axially extending parts thereon engageable with the ends of the loop to twist them together, parts in the head shiftable axially thereof to engage the twisted ends of the loop and bend them inward, and means periodically to move the last named parts axially beyond the wire engaging parts to disengage the wire from the engaging parts.

2. Coil bundling apparatus comprising supporting means to hold a coil, means to loop a length of wire around the coil with its ends overlapping, a rotatable head having axially extending parts at one end engageable with the overlapping ends of the loop to twist them together, axially shiftable fingers in the head to engage the twisted ends of the loop and bend them inward and means periodically to move the fingers axially beyond said parts to disengage the wire from the parts.

3. Coil bundling apparatus comprising supporting means to hold a coil, means to loop a length of wire around the coil with its ends overlapping, a rotatable head having parts at one end engageable with the overlapping ends of the loop. to twist them together, a collar mounted for axial shifting relative to the head, axially extending fingers on the collar engageable with the ends of the loop, and cam means operated by rotation of the head to shift. the collar toward the coil whereby the fingers will bend the ends of the loop inward.

4. Coil bundling apparatus comprising supporting means to hold a coil, means to loop a continuous length of wire around the coil with the end of the wire overlapping the body thereof, a rotatable head having axially extending parts at one end to engage the overlapping portions of the wire, cutting means on the head to cut the loop from the body of the wire during initial rotation of the head, further rotation of the head twisting the ends of the loop together, axially movable fingers on the head engageable with the ends of the loop to press them inward toward the coil, and means periodically to move the fingers axially beyond said parts to disengage the Wire from the parts.

5. Coil bundling apparatus comprising supporting means to hold a coil, means to loop a continuous length of wire around the coil with the end of the wire overlapping the body thereof, a rotatable head having axially extending parts at one end to engage the overlapping portions of the wire, cutting means on the head to cut the loop from the body of the wire during initial rotation of the head, further rotation of the head twisting the ends of the loop together, axially movable fingers on the head to engage the ends of the loop and press them inward, and cam means operated by rotation of the head to move the fingers axially beyond the wire engaging parts to disengage the wire from the parts.

6. Coil bundling apparatus comprising coil holding means substantially encircling a coil and having a gap in one side, the coil holding means having an internal groove therein, feeding means frictionally gripping a wire to force it through the gap and around the groove until the end of the wire strikes one side of the gap, a rotatable head having projecting parts at one end to engage the overlapping portions of the wire adjacent the gap and twist them together, cut-off means on the head to out off the wire adjacent the other side of the gap during initial rotation of the head, and axially shiftable fingers on the head to bend the ends of the twisted wire inward toward the coil.

7. Coil bundling apparatus comprising a U- shaped seat to receive a coil, a downwardly hooked clamp arm movable toward the seat to grip a coil between them, the seat and clamp arm having registering internal grooves therein, feeding means to force a length of wire through the grooves to form a loop around the coil, a rotatable head having projecting parts at one end to engage the overlapping portions of the wire at one side of the loop and twist them together, out-- 01f means on the head to cut off the wire during initial rotation of the head, and axially slhiftable fingers on the head to bend the ends of the twisted wire inward toward the coil.

8. Coil bundling apparatus comprising a stationary U-shaped seat, to receive a coil, a support movable vertically relative to the seat, a downwardly hooked clamp arm pivoted on a horizontal axis of the support to grip a coil against the seat, guide means engaging the clamp arm to move the clamp arm upward and outward away from the seat when the support is raised or inward and downward toward the seat when the support is lowered, the seat and clamp arm having registering internal grooves therein, feeding means to force a length of wire through the grooves to form a loop around the coil, and means to secure the ends of the loop together.

9. C011 bundling apparatus comprising a U- sliaped seat to receive a coil, a downwardly hooked clamp arm to grip a coil against the seat, guide means to move the clamp arm upward and outward away from the seat or inward and downward toward the seat, the seat and clamp arm having registering internal grooves therein, feeding means to force a length of wire through the grooves to form a loop around the coil, a rotatable head having projecting parts at one end to twist together the overlapping ends of the loop, and axially shiftable fingers on the head to engage the ends of the loop after twisting thereof and bend them inward toward the coil.

10. Coil bundling apparatus comprising a frame, a vertically movable support on the frame to support a coil, a plurality of U-shaped seats fixed on the frame to receive a coil, a downwardly hooked clamp arm associated with each of the seats, means for simultaneously raising and lowering the support and the clamp arms, guide means to swing the clamp arms outward away from the seats when they are raised and inward into register with the seats when they are lowered, means to loop lengths of wire around the coil adjacent the seats and clamp arms, and means to secure the ends of the loops together.

11. Coil bundling apparatus comprising a frame, a vertically movable support on the frame to support a coil, a plurality of U-shaped seats fixed on the frame to receive a coil, a downwardly hooked clamp arm associated with each of the seats, means for simultaneously raising and lowering the support and the clamp arms, guide means to swing the clamp arms outward away from the seats when they are raised and inward into register with the seats when they are lowered, the seats and clamp arms being formed with internal registering grooves, feeding means to feed lengths of wire into the groves to form loops around the coil, and means to secure the ends of the loops together.

12. Coil bundling apparatus comprising a frame, a vertically movable support on the frame to support a coil, a plurality of U-shaped seats fixed on the frame to receive a coil, a downwardly hooked clamp arm associated with each of the seats, means for simultaneously raising and lowering the support and the clamp arms, guide means to swing the clamp arms outward away from the seats when they are raised and inward into register with the seats when they are lowered, the seats and clamp arms being formed with internal registering grooves, feeding means to feed lengths of wire into the grooves to-form loops around the coil, a rotatable head adjacent each of the seats, cutting means on each head to cut off the adjacent wire during initial rotation thereof, parts on each head to engage and twist together the ends of the adjacent loop, and. axially slidable fingers on each head to bend the ends of the adjacent loo-p inward toward the coil.

13. In a. coil bundling machine, a twisting head comprising an elongated rotatable body, axially extending projections at one end of the body to engage and twist together overlapping wire ends, and fingers mounted on the body for rotation therewith and slidable axially of the body beyond said one end thereof to bend said Wire ends inward away from the body said fingers sliding axially beyond said end of the body a sufficient distance to disengage the wire ends from the projections.

14. In a coil bundling machine, a twisting head comprising an elongated rotatable body, axially 7 extending projections at one end of the body to engage and twist together overlapping wire ends, a collar shiftable axially on the body, fingers carried by the collar slidable axially of .thezbody beyond the end thereof to engage said wire ends and 5 fbend them over, a cam projection on the collar, and a second fixed cam projection engageable with the first named cam projection to shift the collar and fingers axially as the body rotates a distance beyond the end of the body sufficient m to disengage the wire ends from the projections.

References Cited in the file of this patent Number Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Blaisdell May 28, 1895 Megan et a1 Apr. 2, 1918 Warwick Feb. 4, 1919 Herman Nov. 16, 1920 Cooper Sept. 4, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany Jan. 9, 1929 

